


Breaking Tide

by clh_372



Series: After the War [3]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/F, Gen, Hama Deserved Better, Hama Needs Therapy, How Do I Tag, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Nightmares, Post-Canon, Post-Canon Fix-It, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Prisoner of War, what if hama got a girlfriend, what if hama got to go home
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-04
Updated: 2020-12-04
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:00:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27868018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clh_372/pseuds/clh_372
Summary: The war has ended, and Water Tribe prisoners are finally going home.  But there's one still missing, and Katara doesn't want to leave her behind.
Relationships: Bato/Hakoda (Avatar), Hakoda & Katara (Avatar), Hakoda & Sokka (Avatar), Hama & Katara (Avatar), Katara & Sokka (Avatar)
Series: After the War [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2040290
Comments: 16
Kudos: 92





	Breaking Tide

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place post-canon, about the same time as "I Understand." 
> 
> Hama's story makes me so sad, and I don't think it's right that she not be given the chance to recover from all that's happened to her. So this is my attempt to address that.
> 
> This is also me thinking more about forgiveness, and moving on (with or without it).

It was evening in the Fire Nation. The moon was rising, shining down from a cloudless sky. It illuminated the furled sails of a fleet of Water Tribe ships bobbing gently in the bay. It smiled, too, on the large camp on the shore, from which the sound of laughter and celebration echoed into the night. It was a long time coming.

One of Zuko’s priorities after being crowned was the release of war prisoners back to their own nations. Though he had offered the services of the Fire Nation ships, the Water Tribe had declined. They wanted to return home in their own ships, with their own people, not delivered back by the very instruments of their capture.

Though some of his generals had scoffed at this, the Fire Lord understood the importance of claiming freedom on one’s own terms. So instead he had the prisons shut down and temporary settlements built for the newly released prisoners. Guards were replaced with doctors, food and provisions were amply supplied, and the Water Tribe was made as comfortable as possible while awaiting the arrival of the fleet that would take them home. 

Of course, anger and resentment ran strong through the camp, but Hakoda assured his people that the Fire Nation would be held accountable for its crimes against them. While it did not put the people entirely to rest, they trusted their chief and took his words to heart. 

Their patience had paid off today, and the cheer that had resounded through the camp at the first sign of the blue sails was deafening. They were going home.

Now Katara looked out over the ocean, listening to the sounds of celebration still ringing behind her. Despite the exciting events of the day, she looked pensive.

“I’m not sure you have this whole ‘party’ thing down, Katara.” Sokka and Hakoda were approaching her, their footsteps soft as they walked over the sand to stand by her side.

Hakoda put an arm around her. “Is something wrong?”

Katara shook her head, leaning on her dad but not taking her eyes away from the sea. “I was thinking about Hama,” she finally said.

“ _Why_ would you be thinking about _her_?” Sokka exclaimed.

She shrugged. “I just thought, with so many other waterbenders here, she might be too.”

“Well, I’m glad she's not. If I never see her again, it’ll be too soon.”

“I was… kinda hoping she’d be here.” Katara shifted her weight in the sand, pulled away from Hakoda and folded her arms around herself.

Sokka rounded on her. “What? Why?!”

“So we could take her home.”

“You want to take _Hama_ home?”

Hakoda, who had been following the siblings’ conversation with growing confusion, finally asked, “Who’s Hama?”

“This creepy old lady we met before the invasion.”

“Was she from the Water Tribe?”

Katara nodded. “She was the last waterbender from the Southern Tribe to be captured. She’d escaped from prison and was living in a Fire Nation village in hiding.”

“This isn’t the last camp we have left to visit,” Hakoda said, placing a reassuring hand on Katara’s shoulder. “I’m sure we’ll find her soon.”

“Trust me Dad, we don’t want to find her.”

Hakoda frowned. “Sokka, if she’s one of our people - “

“Dad, she’s crazy!”

“She’s not crazy, Sokka!”

“Katara, she was _trapping people under a mountain._ She made me and Aang attack you! She was hiding puppets in her closet!”

Hakoda blinked, started to ask a question, then thought better of it. Instead he turned to Katara and asked, “She made them attack you? How?”

Katara shuddered. “Bloodbending.” Seeing Hakoda’s confusion, she continued, “It’s a waterbending technique that Hama invented to help her escape prison. You bend the water in another person’s body - use it to control them.”

“...Wow.” Hakoda gave a low whistle. “And she used this on you?”

“On Aang and Sokka,” Katara clarified. “She tried to use it on me but I was able to shake it off.”

Hakoda settled down on the sand, motioning for the siblings to do the same. “Maybe you should start at the beginning.”

It didn’t take long for them to relate the tale to Hakoda, and afterwards he sat silently for a moment, considering what they’d told him. “And now you want to bring her home?” he asked. His tone was thoughtful, rather than judgemental.

“No way!” Sokka exclaimed.

Hakoda turned to his daughter. “Katara?”

“...I don’t know,” she finally said. “I mean, she did some pretty terrible things.”

Sokka snorted. “That’s an understatement.”

“But she was a waterbender - the last waterbender. She fought so hard to protect our home, and suffered so much here in the Fire Nation. I guess I just want to help her, somehow.”

This time, Hakoda appraised Sokka instead. “And you object to this, even though she’s one of our own?”

“That didn’t exactly stop her from coming after us. It doesn’t matter where she’s from, she’s too dangerous - and also, completely insane.”

Katara crossed her arms and glared at her brother. “You just don’t like her because she bloodbent you.”

“Honestly, it’s not the bloodbending I object to. Don’t get me wrong,” he said, holding up his hands as she stared at him incredulously. “Being controlled like that was really weird and creepy. But I can see how bloodbending could be really useful in other situations. Like, it would be a really good way to subdue people without hurting them. Or it might have medicinal purposes.” 

“That’s a good point, Sokka,” Hakoda nodded.

“I guess I hadn’t thought about it like that.” Then Katara remembered how it had felt to lose control of her body, to feel that incredible and sickening power as she bent another’s body to her will, and she shuddered. “But it still feels wrong somehow.”

“Any tool can be used for both good and bad purposes,” Hakoda told her. “I’m more concerned about how she attacked you kids.”

“Don’t forget about her secret underground dungeon,” interjected Sokka.

“And the secret underground dungeon,” Hakoda nodded. He turned to Katara. “What makes you want to bring her home?”

“I don’t know,” Katara sighed. “I guess I just felt a connection to her. She lost so much to the war and has been through so much. She was so angry - she wanted justice. I understand how that feels.” The waterbender looked at her family. Hakoda was watching her, expression thoughtful. Sokka also was listening closely, and as she met his eyes she saw that he was thinking of the same thing she was - her confrontation with their mother’s killer.

Hakoda laid a gentle hand on her arm. “That doesn’t excuse the imprisonment of innocent people.” 

“I know that. But she didn’t do anything worse than what the Fire Nation did to our people.” Her father raised an eyebrow at this, and she rushed on. “I know it was a horrible thing to do. But she did it because she thought she’d never go home again - she wanted them to feel that pain too.” Looking away, Katara finally added, “But she doesn’t have to feel that way anymore. Hasn’t it been long enough?”

Sokka shook his head. “Maybe, but Hama is dangerous, Katara. I’m not sure she can be reasoned with anymore, or that it’s safe for anyone to be around her.”

“So we should just give up on her?” Katara snapped.

Hakoda held up his hand. “He does have a point, Katara. But so do you. And I don’t like the idea of leaving any of our people behind.”

Seeing that Sokka didn’t look convinced, Katara reached out and took one of his hands. “Sokka, I know she did some awful things, but think of what she’s been through. She needs help, not to spend the rest of her life in prison.”

Try as he might, he could not hold out long against her imploring eyes. “Fine!” Sokka cried, throwing his hands up in surrender. “We can try to take her home. But remember - she’s not just a prisoner of war anymore. She captured Fire Nation citizens. They might not be willing to let her go.”

“I bet Zuko would help,” Katara said. “If anyone would understand, it’s him.”

“Well, that settles it. You send your hawk to Zuko and we’ll see if we can find Hama and bring her home.” With that, Hakoda rose to his feet and stretched with a groan. “As for me, I’m going back to the bonfire. It’s been a long time since our people here have had a proper Water Tribe celebration - even if it is in the Fire Nation. As their chief, it is my responsibility to make it memorable.” He winked at his kids before striding back to the rest of the Tribe.

Katara looked back across the sea, watching the glimmer of moonlight over the water. She wondered if she were doing the right thing. Thinking back on that full moon all those months ago, on the feeling of her limbs locking of their own accord and Hama’s mad cackle as she was led away, made her shudder with dismay. But when she thought of how delighted Hama had been to make them a Southern Water tribe dinner, the palpable pain as she related the story of her capture, the way she’d held her treasured comb… _Whatever happened to that comb?_ Katara wondered. She’d forgotten about it till just now.

“Well, that letter isn’t going to send itself,” Sokka said, clambering to his feet before extending a hand to Katara.

“So you’re going along with it?” Katara asked, letting him help her to her feet. “After all that?”

“If you think you can help her, then I’m here for you,” he shrugged. “But she better not try to puppet-master me again!” He raised his hands and shambled stiffly towards her, his face stretched in a goofy grimace.

Katara giggled. “Looks like the mighty warrior is no match for the master waterbender.” She held up her hands and wiggled her fingers at him. “Ooooh, your blood is calling to me Sokka! I’m gonna get you!”

“Not if you can’t catch me!” he yelled back, and raced off towards the camp with a whoop. Katara laughed again and pelted after him, hair streaming behind, kicking up sand in her wake.

\---

It was a late morning for the Water Tribe. The former prisoners and their tribespeople had celebrated late into the night, and there was nothing stopping them from sleeping off the aftereffects of their revelry. Hakoda hadn’t even made it back to the family tent, apparently crashing at Bato’s instead. Katara and Sokka, however, were not afforded the same luxury.

“Ouch! Hawky, that’s my head!” Sokka dove deeper into his sleeping bag as the messenger hawk hopped around, demanding his attention.

“Here, let me see it.” Katara held out an arm for the bird who, with one last look at Sokka’s bag, accepted her offer and allowed her to retrieve the scroll he carried.

“It’s from Zuko,” she confirmed, breaking the seal and reading the message. “He says he doesn’t know where she is but he’ll find out and let us know.”

“Did he say anything about if he’d release her or not?” Sokka finally peeked out of his sleeping bag. Upon seeing him emerge, Hawky chirped and fluttered over, landed on Sokka’s head, and began to preen.

Katara rolled the scroll up with an out-of-proportion cheerfulness. “Well, that’s great news!” she said. “I’m sure we’ll know where she is in no time.”

“Katara.” Sokka sat up, Hawky forgotten, to frown at his sister. “What did he say about releasing Hama after she attacked Fire Nation civilians?”

The waterbender fidgeted with her hair. “I sort of…didn’t really go into that,” Katara finally admitted.

“What?!” Sokka threw his hands in the air, causing Hawky to shriek in surprise and wing out of the tent. “You can’t just not tell him!”

“Of course I’m going to tell him, Sokka, I just wanted to know where she is first and go from there.”

“Katara, Zuko’s going to find out her story when he locates her. He’s probably going to wonder why you didn’t just tell him everything from the start.”

“It was a short message, all right?” Katara snapped. “I’ll deal with the rest when we know where she is.”

Sokka groaned in exasperation. “I’m going back to sleep,” he muttered. 

“Fine!” Katara huffed, flinging off her blankets and stomping to the tent flap. “I was just leaving anyway!”

The waterbender stalked away, not bothering to close the tent behind her, taking vindictive pleasure in the knowledge that the sun would shine right on her brother’s eyes as he tried to go back to sleep. _That’ll teach him_ , she thought to herself as she stared toward the sea. 

But her expression shifted from anger to uncertainty. Loathe as she was to admit it, Sokka might be right. Maybe she should have told Zuko her full intention in the message? What if he heard the story from the prison guards and decided she couldn’t be released before Katara even had a chance to make her case?

“Excuse me, miss.”

Katara started and whirled around. A kind-faced old woman was standing before her, stooped and shortened with age but with lively brown eyes. “I see you are deep in thought, but I have to ask - did you mention Hama, just now?”

Katara’s eyes widened. “Yes, I did! Did you know her?”

The old woman nodded. “I did. She was my dearest friend back at the South Pole. When I was captured, I missed her so much…but it gave me hope, and pride, to see her on the shore as we were taken away, knowing she was still free and protecting our home.”

“She was the last waterbender to be captured by the Fire Nation,” Katara told her.

The old woman beamed. “That doesn’t surprise me.”

“Are you a waterbender as well?”

“Yes,” the woman nodded. “My name is Kosa.”

Katara bowed and replied, “Katara.”

Straightening from her own bow, Kosa asked, “You’re the chief’s daughter, aren’t you? And the Avatar’s waterbending master.” Katara blushed and nodded. “I am glad that one of our own was able to help restore balance and end this war. Our tribe has lost so much - it feels fitting that our last waterbender would be one of the warriors to take something back.”

Both waterbenders looked out to the sea, listening to the waves. Without looking over at Katara, the old woman asked, “What happened to Hama?”

Briefly Katara considered how much of the tale to tell, but in the end she held nothing back.

“I see.” Kosa’s eyes were dark and downcast, and her hands shook as she leaned on her walking stick. “I can’t say I’m entirely surprised. Hama always did have a strong sense of justice. Eye for an eye… capture for capture, I suppose.”

Katara shuddered. “It was awful.”

“I’m sure it was, dear. But - I don’t blame her.” When Katara turned to her in shock, the woman continued, “You think we here didn’t have similar ideas when we were first released? When they first let us out of those cells, told us the war was over and our people would be coming to take us home, you think we didn’t consider taking back a little of what they stole from us?”

Katara stared. “I - I never thought about it.”

“We did,” Kosa replied. Then her expression softened as she stared out over the waves. “But no revenge is worth never seeing home again. It did help that they sent the all the prison guards away. Even the most forgiving of us would have loved to see some of them put in their place.” Kosa’s eyes were sharp and grim, and Katara shuddered.

Finally Kosa looked fully up at Katara. “When you find Hama, will you bring her home? Will you fight for her the way she fought for our people?”

Katara swallowed past the lump in her throat. “I will.”

Kosa beamed at the girl. “Thank you, Katara.” She took the girl’s hand in gratitude. “When you find her, will you take me with you? I need to see her.”

“Of course you can come,” Katara answered without hesitation.

“Thank you,” Kosa repeated. Then she patted the girl’s hand and turned away, making her way back to the main camp.

Katara watched as Kosa walked away, then turned back to her own tent with a sigh. She had another message to send to Zuko. 

\---

Hawky returned with Zuko’s reply that evening. This time Sokka opened the scroll. Katara, Hakoda, and Bato watched as he read.

“Well?” Katara asked. “What did he say?”

“He found out where she’s being held,” Sokka answered. “It’s not far from here.”

“That’s good news then,” Bato said. Hakoda had brought him up to speed on the situation, and he - in his own understated way - had not even questioned that Hama would be coming home with them.

“Did he say if he would release her?” Katara’s anxiety was palpable.

“Not exactly,” Sokka replied. “He says that while he has no intention of going back on his word about releasing war prisoners, he also won’t endanger his own people if she is a danger to them.”

“...So is that a no or a yes?”

“It’s a maybe,” Hakoda said. “Frustrating, but understandable.”

“Understandable my ass,” Bato replied. Hakoda put a calming hand on his shoulder.

Katara’s stomach had clenched as her brother spoke. “Did he say how he would decide?”

“He won’t,” Sokka replied. “You will.”

“Me?!”

“Yeah. This part’s addressed to you.” Sokka held the message up with a flourish and cleared his throat. “’Katara - if you are certain you can escort her from the Fire Nation safely, then Hama will be released into your custody, and yours alone. I trust your judgement.’” Sokka lowered the scroll and shook his head. “Well, he always was an idiot.”

“Shut up and give me that!” Katara snatched the message from him as Hakoda and Bato laughed. Ignoring them, she read the message for herself. _Well that’s that, then,_ she thought. _I’ll bring you home, Hama._

\---

Katara didn’t want to waste any time in speaking to Hama, so she took Appa to go see her the following day. Hakoda and Kosa came with her. The Water Tribe chief sat quite still in the saddle with a somewhat stoic expression, but Kosa had crowded right up to the edge and was staring down with a wide grin. “This is amazing!” she cried, the wind carrying her voice in their wake.

Before too long they were settling down in front of the prison. Inwardly, Katara cringed. Fire Nation prisons were bleak even by prison standards, and this one was no exception. Hakoda regarded it with a grim defiance. Kosa looked at it and shuddered, her expression dark, her hands tight on her cane. 

“Are you going to be all right?” Katara asked her. She could imagine how difficult it would be for a woman finally free after decades of imprisonment to be walking back into a prison again, but one look at the old woman’s face revealed her determination. Kosa began walking without a word. Katara and Hakoda fell in behind her.

A Fire Nation official was waiting at the entrance, and he bowed as they approached. “You must be Master Katara and Chief Hakoda. I’m Warden Juko.” He turned his attention to Kosa with a questioning expression.

“This is Master Kosa, another waterbender of our tribe.” The warden bowed to the old woman as well, which seemed to take Kosa by surprise. She did not bow back, but Juko took no offense.

Instead he invited them to follow him into the prison. “I understand you’re here to collect Hama. The Fire Lord apprised me of the situation, with strict instructions to release her only to you.” Here the warden paused and looked at Katara with a somber expression. “You have to understand, we cannot release her if she is still a danger to Fire Nation civilians. I hope you make the right decision.”

“I will.”

Warden Juko nodded and continued on.

The path the warden took led underground to what appeared to be a higher security area. It was chilly, and their footsteps echoed off the metal walkway. Finally, the warden stopped.

“This is her cell door.”

Katara looked at it and nodded. “I’d like to speak to her alone,” she said. Turning to look at her father and especially Kosa, she said more gently, “Just for a few minutes. Is that okay?”

The old woman looked like she might disagree, her expression a mixture of anxiety, hope, and impatience. But eventually she acquiesced. “Please don’t make me wait too long,” she finally said.

“I won’t.” Katara then squared her shoulders and faced the door. The warden opened it for her and she stepped inside.

The center of the room was dominated by a single suspended cell, just as Hama had described. Inside was Hama herself, wrapped in a blanket and leaning against the bars. She looked different now - tired, and older. When the door clanged shut behind Katara, she looked over at the girl with none of the cackling defiance she had shown after their last confrontation.

“You came after all,” Hama said. “They said you would.”

“Of course I did.”

Hama turned away again, looking back into some unseen distance. “They said the war is over. But here I am. Still in chains.”

“Well, I’m hoping we can fix that.”

“Why?” Hama asked, glancing at the girl. “You were happy to let me rot in jail before.”

Katara stepped forward, keeping her voice calm. “You were kidnapping innocent people, Hama.”

The old woman scoffed. “No one in the Fire Nation is innocent.”

“I used to think the same thing. I thought that everyone in the Fire Nation was a monster. But that was before I got to know them.”

“I got to know plenty of them,” Hama spat. “They’re still Fire Nation. They’re all to blame.”

“I know you must feel so much rage and grief. So did I, after the raids - after the Fire Nation killed my mother.” Katara looked down, her hand floating up to rest on her mother’s necklace. “There are some horrible people in the Fire Nation,” she acknowledged. Then she raised her head and looked back up at Hama. “But there are good ones too.”

Hama looked away. “You can forgive them if you want. I never will. You didn’t have to see our people dwindling, our culture torn apart, because of them.”

“We’re gathering the prisoners,” Katara said. “We’re taking our people home, and we’ll rebuild with them. Our culture isn’t gone - we’re still here. I want you to be there with us.”

Hama stared at her, face set in a grimace of defiance. “I won’t forgive them,” she said again.

“You don’t have to forgive them,” Katara answered. “I’ll never forgive the man who killed my mother. But Fire Lord Zuko nearly died to save me. I trust him, and they’ve promised to change. They _are_ changing. And if they change _back_ ,” she added, eyes narrowing, “they’ll answer to me.”

The old waterbender laughed a bitter laugh. “You should have joined me,” she said. “We could have punished them together.”

“Oh, Hama. You’ve always been a harsh one.”

Katara whipped around. Kosa, who had evidently been listening behind the door, was shuffling inside, Hakoda close behind her. “Kosa!” the girl exclaimed.

“I got tired of waiting.” The woman was not looking at Katara at all as she walked slowly but determinedly towards the cage.

“...Kosa?” Katara heard the rattling of chains. Hama stared at Kosa with wide eyes, left her seated position and crawled over to where the other woman was approaching. “Is it really you?”

“Don’t you recognize me, Hama?” Kosa said in a teasing tone that nevertheless sounded thick and hoarse. She reached towards the bars and Hama reached back, grasping her wrinkled hand in her own. 

“Of course I do,” Hama answered, her voice shaking as she cradled the other woman’s hand with a gentleness that made Katara’s heart ache.

Kosa was leaning so far over the railing that separated her from Hama’s cage that Katara was afraid she might slip and fall. Hakoda evidently had the same thought and stepped forward too, close enough to catch her if she fell. There, he bowed to Hama. “I am Chief Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe, father of Katara and Sokka. I am here to take _all_ our people home.”

Hama was still staring at Kosa, though her arm was shaking from the strain of reaching so far through the bars of her cage. Eventually her strength gave out and she had to pull back. The regret on both women’s faces was obvious. “Look at all they’ve taken from us,” Hama said. Looking from Kosa, to the warden stationed beside the door, then to Kosa once again, she finally said, “And you would just… leave them be?”

“I’ll never forgive them either, Hama,” Kosa replied. “But I won’t let them poison what remains of my life.” Once again she reached across the space between them. “Let’s not hate anymore. Let’s love again.”

Tears ran down both wrinkled faces as they clasped hands once more. Finally, Hama nodded.

This was enough for Katara. “We’re taking her home,” she said to the warden. With a curt nod, he called for the guards to lower the cage and release their former prisoner. They complied immediately, and within minutes Hakoda was able to step forward and help the old woman across the chasm. 

As soon as she was on firm footing, Hama shrugged off Hakoda’s arms and rushed to Kosa, whose arms were opened wide. They swept into each other like the wave meets the shore, and when Hakoda wrapped an arm around Katara’s shoulders she hugged him close, wiping away a tear of her own.

Finally the two women drew apart, but only far enough for Hama to bring Kosa’s hand to her own in a tender kiss.

A young guard approached the pair hesitantly, holding a folded blanket in her arms. “I’m sorry to intrude. I thought you might like this.” She offered the blanket to Hama, who stared back fiercely. “I-I warmed it up for you,” the guard stammered. It was Kosa who finally took it, dismissing the guard with a nod as she wrapped it around Hama’s bony shoulders. The guard stepped back with a look of evident relief. 

Warden Juko stepped forward then and bowed to the members of the Water Tribe. “Please allow me to escort you out of the prison so you can return to your people.”

Hakoda nodded, and the warden led them away. Katara noticed he kept is pace slow, matching that of the old women, and when he bowed farewell his eyes were soft and tinged with regret.

\---

The flight back to the camp was quiet. Katara and Hakoda sat at the front of the saddle to allow the reunited women some privacy. Kosa held Hama close in the back. She murmured about other members of the Tribe they would see again at the camp, the beauty of the boats when they first approached the shore. She described the supplies brought for the former prisoners - proper Water Tribe garb, seal blubber jerky, _actual_ sea prunes - things none of them had seen in so long. How the younger people in the tribe listened to the stories of the freed elders, reunited with long lost relatives, shared messages from home. 

Hama said little in reply. She seemed tired, and a bit overwhelmed. But unlike in the prison, she also seemed just a little more at peace.

“Oh - I almost forgot. Katara told me about your comb. Was it - ”

“The one you gave me. Yes,” Hama smiled. Her eyes grew sad as she continued, “I was sorry to lose it when I was taken away again.”

Kosa fished in her pockets, a triumphant twinkle in her eye. “Well, I made you another one. Here.”

The new comb was an elegant, understated thing, carved from walrus-whale tusk, with koi fish weaving between carved phases of the moon. Hama clutched it in her hand and buried her face in Kosa’s neck.

\---

Upon arriving back at camp, Hama was welcomed by the rest of the Tribe in a scene that by now was familiar, though never less touching for it. A rush of Water Tribe warriors helped the two old women down from Appa, who flattened himself as much as possible to ease the task. Other tribe folk gathered around, beaming and welcoming. Soon the cries of “I never thought I’d see you again” and “Is that really you under all those wrinkles?” or, to some the younger folk (themselves middle-aged at least), “I can’t believe how much you’ve grown!” resounded across the camp. Tea was brought, food was offered, the best seats were cleared for Hama and Kosa’s comfort. Even Sokka, who was not much given to sentiment, felt himself warmed watching the scene.

\---

Katara awoke in the middle of the night to an urgent whisper and someone shaking her shoulder. Without even thinking, she had rolled out of her bedroll and into a crouch, her hands snatching up her water flask and hovering ready at its stopper. “What’s going on?”

Eyes adjusting quickly to the dark tent, she saw that Sokka was similarly alert, boomerang in hand. Katara felt a vague feeling of sadness pass over her, that even all this time after the end of the war it only took an instant for the siblings to awaken, ready to fight. She shook it off, however, as she realized it was Kosa standing in front of them.

“Kosa?” Katara asked, relaxing her grip on her water flask. “What’s going on?”

The old woman wrung her hands. “It’s Hama,” she said. “She’s - she’s having some kind of nightmare, I can’t wake her up, I can’t calm her. She’s starting to bend in her sleep - I’m afraid she might hurt herself.”

“What happened to your cheek?” Sokka asked suddenly. Though he was also standing and had relaxed somewhat, he hadn’t put away his boomerang. 

Katara looked closer at Kosa, who had raised her hand partway to her face. Her left cheek was swollen and bruised.

“Did Hama do that?” demanded Sokka. His stern tone reminded Katara of Hakoda. Katara stepped forward without thinking, reaching once again to unstop her flask so she could heal the bruise, but Kosa held up her hands and took a step back.

“Please, it was an accident. She needs help, before it happens to someone else.” Kosa stared imploringly at the siblings, and with no further hesitation Katara nodded and followed her from her tent. Sokka followed, trailing behind a little but wearing a suspicious frown that made Katara cringe. Her footsteps quickened, and she hoped that Kosa was right, that it was an accident - and that she had not made a mistake in liberating Hama.

As they approached Kosa and Hama’s tent, Katara saw they were not the only ones awake. Other Water Tribe members, including Hakoda and Bato, were gathered around the tent and talking in hushed, urgent tones. Inside they heard grunting, the splashing of water and crinkling of ice, and every now and then a hoarse shriek. Katara quickened her step, Sokka right behind her.

When he saw them approaching, Hakoda was all business. “You’re here. Good. Kosa told you what’s going on?”

“Yeah. She’s having nightmares?”

“And lashing out with her bending,” Sokka added darkly.

Hakoda nodded. “Luckily there weren’t many water sources in the tent, so she didn’t do much damage. I’ve got a few folks restraining her now, but she’s strong. I’m afraid she’ll hurt herself.”

“We’re not sure how to help her,” Bato added. “Do you know a way?”

Katara considered for a moment, then nodded. “There’s something I can try.”

“Good.” Hakoda pulled the tent flap opened and gestured her inside, Kosa leading the way. “You stay out here with us, Sokka.”

“Oh, I wasn’t planning on going in there,” Sokka answered, throwing up his hands and backing away. Bato clapped a hand on his shoulder as Sokka turned toward Katara. “You take care of Hama. We’ll keep an eye on things out here.”

“Right.” Katara squared her shoulders and ducked into the tent, and her father let it close behind her.

It was dark inside, but not so much that Katara wasn’t affected by the scene before her. Hama was sitting up in her bedroll. One of the Water Tribe’s warriors was sitting behind her, holding her arms pinned; another sat at her feet, holding on to her ankles. Katara was confused by this at first - as far as she could see Hama was quite still, threads of fine silver hair stuck to her face as her head hung limply. But then Katara realized that the old woman’s eyes were rolling behind her eyelids, as if in the grip of some awful dream. Moments later she stirred, muttering and hissing under her breath, though Katara couldn’t make anything out. 

The warriors tightened their grips on her just in time. Hama began thrashing around, as much as she could in her current pinned state. Her hands twisted in the bedclothes, constrained arm movements Katara recognized as attempted waterbending moves. The tribesfolk held her effectively but they were clearly anxious. Hama was old, after all. Strong though she clearly was, they were still caught between needing to keep her from hurting anyone, and not hurting _her_ in the process.

Kosa was kneeling on Hama’s left side, holding her hand and whispering reassurances in her ear. “I can’t make her hear me,” she said, turning to Katara. Her eyes were shining even in the darkness, tears flowing anew. “Help her!”

Katara was already rushing forward, dropping down on Hama’s other side. She uncorked her flask, coated her hands in the water within, and placed her palms against the old woman’s temples. The water started to glow as Katara called upon her bending, illuminating Hama’s face with liquid light.

At first Hama’s thrashing continued even more violently, and for one panicky moment, Katara feared that she was only making things worse. But then the old woman froze, her face twisted in one last expression of fear, before fading into calm. Her entire body relaxed, and though she didn’t wake up, her nightmares had clearly ceased.

With a collective sigh of relief, Kosa, Katara, and the tribesfolk holding Hama relaxed, and the latter two eased up on their grips and laid the old woman gently back into her bedroll. 

Kosa looked up at Katara with wide eyes. “She’s going to be all right?” 

The girl nodded. "I think so."

Though one hand was still gripping Hama’s, the other reached out for Katara. The young bender took it and squeezed gently. Kosa’s hand was soft and fragile with age, but strong even as it trembled. “Thank you,” Kosa whispered. “Thank you.”

“Of course,” Katara whispered back, and Kosa gave her a watery smile before taking her hand back and looking down at Hama, brushing the hair off her face.

Katara looked at the others. “Let’s let them rest,” she said, and they nodded and stood carefully, so as not to disturb Hama. Katara started to rise too, then remembered the bruise on Kosa’s face. “Let me help you with your eye first,” she said. Kosa shrugged an indifferent acknowledgement. 

It was a simple thing for Katara to heal the bruise, and the swelling diminished almost immediately. “Thank you,” Kosa repeated, smiling at her again. Katara nodded and stood, following the other two tribesfolk from the tent. 

She only looked back once. Kosa was wiping Hama’s forehead and cheeks with a damp cloth, speaking too softly for Katara to hear. The sleeping woman murmured indistinctly, then turned on her side. She scooted closer to Kosa, who set the cloth aside and laid down, pulling Hama in close.

Katara smiled and let the tent flap fall, leaving the two old women alone to rest.

\---

Hakoda, Bato, and Sokka waited outside for her; the rest of the Water Tribe folk had dispersed, confident now that their comrade had been cared for. When Katara emerged, Hakoda smiled at her. 

“They say she’s resting now?” 

“Yes,” Katara said. “She should be okay, for tonight at least.”

“Good,” Hakoda nodded. “Thank you, Katara.” Bato laid a hand on her shoulder and squeezed slightly, and the group started walking back to their own tents. Once they reached Bato’s, Hakoda pulled Katara into a hug. “I’m proud of you, Katara.”

She sniffed a little into his shirt and squeezed back. “Thanks, Dad.”

The chief released her after a moment, then smiled at both her and Sokka. “Get some rest, you two. Bato was able to gather the rest of our people today. Tomorrow we set sail for home.”

“And not a moment too soon.” Bato clapped Hakoda on the shoulder and added, “Let’s get to bed.”

“Right. Good night, kids.”

“Good night,” Katara and Sokka answered, watching as the two men ducked into Bato’s tent.

After a moment, Sokka turned to Katara and said, very quietly, “I think we have two dads now.”

Katara snorted despite herself. “Looks like it.”

“...Nice.”

A few minutes later the siblings were ducking into their own tent. Sokka sat on his bedroll, but did not crawl in right away. “So,” he said. “Did you use your magic water to fix her brain?”

Katara rolled her eyes. “It’s not that simple, Sokka. Healing the mind isn’t the same as healing a bone or a burn.”

“But it’s a start?”

“That’s up to her. But I hope so.”

“Me too,” Sokka sighed.

She glanced at him then, a bit surprised. “Thanks for not making a crazy joke,” she finally said. “Or saying I told you so.”

“Hey, she needed help, and you helped her. That’s enough for me.” Sokka wiggled into his bedroll, snuggling into the blankets with a happy sigh. With one last fond smile, Katara followed suit, and soon both were sleeping soundly.

\---

The following morning the sun shone on a fleet of Water Tribe ships, waves crashing brightly on the many hulls as they set a course for the South Pole. Appa was making one last circle over their heads before flying Katara and Sokka to Caldera City. Hakoda and Bato waved at them from their ship, and the siblings waved back. 

Then Katara turned her eyes to the prow of the ship. Hama and Kosa were looking south, arms around each other. As if she sensed Katara watching, Hama looked up. For a moment she only stared. Then she raised one hand in farewell, and her old face crinkled into a smile. Katara waved back, and Hama turned away, kissing Kosa softly before facing forward once again. For the first time, she finally looked free.

**Author's Note:**

> This was a stubborn fic and I'm not as happy with it as I am with some of my others - it's one of those that I can't seem to get quite right but I also need to let be good enough and call it done. Still, I'm more or less pleased and glad I wrote it, though any proofreading catches are always appreciated.
> 
> Hama was treated so poorly in canon - an indigenous survivor of colonizer violence who was vilified in a way that her colonizers were given the chance to atone for, but not her. She should have the same chance. I think Katara would think so too.
> 
> And then I gave her a wife. As a treat.
> 
> Thanks for reading! I can't decide whether my next fic will be another Fire Lord Zuko fic, or a Sokka, Suki, and Toph quest extravaganza. If you have an opinion let me know lol


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